


Scenes From That High School!AU

by MokonaLord (AmnesiaBug)



Category: Magic Knight Rayearth
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-25
Updated: 2016-09-19
Packaged: 2018-04-11 04:42:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4421777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmnesiaBug/pseuds/MokonaLord
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Random unedited blurbs from my mostly Ascot-centric High School!AU that may one day form itself into some sort of linear fic with an actual title, but until then, there's this conglomeration. Will add applicable characters/relationships/warnings as it goes along. (originally posted on my tumblr)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Everything Sucks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Ascot is a pre-pubescent brat with a large shitty family, and he’s starting his freshman year of high school. So far, it really sucks to be him.

Ascot had no idea how he was supposed to get home now.

He’d probably care later. There were too many things he was aggressively trying not to care about right now. Like how he lashed out at Hikaru Shidou. She was being friendly. She meant no harm. She didn’t know he’d wanted a dog since he could walk, but his parents insisted time after time that it was too expensive, even as they somehow found it in their budget to keep having kids. She didn’t know that just last week, some of his younger siblings had not only knocked over his betta fish bowl, the only pet his parents had ever condescended to let him own, but then left the mess and the dead fish there for him to find and clean up when he got home. She didn’t know about Vigor, either.

Ascot honestly deserved that slap from the girl’s blue-haired friend (Umi, was it?) though he was glad she got in trouble for it all the same. Those nails of hers hurt. At least she sort of apologized for it, when he’d found her waiting outside the nurse’s office.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to hit you that hard. Nurse clean it out all right?”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t think this means I forgive you for upsetting Hikaru. She’s never been anything but nice to you.” She’d scoffed, “It’s no wonder you don’t have any friends.”

“I have friends.” Ascot had answered automatically. Though they weren’t human, he’d never considered the dogs and cats and other animals he’d met as anything less than friends. Well, they were good friends to him. Now he was seriously questioning whether he’d actually been a good friend to them. He couldn’t even keep a betta fish safe from his family. And Vigor… He knew what was going on in that household, he knew those dogs weren’t being treated right. Yet he stayed silent. The owners paid well when they went on vacation, which was pretty often. He really needed the money. And he did his best to treat them better while he was there-

But those were just excuses; he was just a coward. A coward who didn’t deserve the only friends he was capable of making. That was why his fish was dead and Vigor was suffering.

He’d crumbled. Broken down into a complete mess of frustrated tears, choking sobs, and snot. It must’ve been quite an ugly sight, and Ascot had to give the other girl credit for staying as long as she did before he had the sense to get away. The distraught boy had grabbed his backpack and ran as fast as his little legs could carry him, out of the high school and across the street. He’d made as far as the nearest city bus stop before collapsing on a bench. The bus had arrived about fifteen minutes later, and Ascot had used his lunch money to get a fare. The bus driver looked reluctant at first to let the kid on by himself, but then presumably figured it was none of their business, making no further acknowledgement after the fee was paid except to hand him a pocket-sized pack of tissues.

 


	2. Piercing Buddies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This happens sometime roughly in the middle of Ascot’s freshman/9th grade year (maybe January/February?). Established Fuu/Ferio, hints of the Ascot/Umi yet to come, and friendly friendship for all!

“Umi! Umi! Umi! Guess what? Guess what? Guess what?” Hikaru exclaimed, bouncing with even more than her usual share of boundless energy as she ran to Umi’s desk.

“What? What? What?” Umi responded with mock enthusiasm and a gentle smile.

“My brothers are finally letting me get my ears pierced!” She squealed, then looked down with pleading puppy eyes, “Think maybe we could go to the mall today?”

“Don’t look so pathetic. Of course we can go!” Umi rolled her eyes, messing up Hikaru’s hair, “We’ll even go out to eat afterwards to celebrate.”

“Oh, Umi, you don’t have to spoil me like that!”

“Yes I do. I must spoil all my good friends.” Ascot watched the scene in front of him with slight interest. Ear piercing, huh? He wouldn’t mind tagging along. Of course, it sounded like it might be a Girls Day Out sort of thing, so he’d just get in the way. Eh, no big deal. He could go over to Caldina’s as usual-

“You’re coming too, right, Ascot?” Umi interrupted his thoughts.

“Huh?” He looked up, startled.

“You’ve gotta come!” Hikaru insisted, “I’m so excited I might pass out! I need all my friends there!” Oh, right. They were his friends. They liked having him around. With them, he was the only one who ever thought he was in the way.

“Yeah, sure, wouldn’t miss it.” He smiled brightly.

That’s how he found himself in a jewelry store with Hikaru, Umi, Fuu, and Ferio several hours later, perusing the selection.

“Ooh, I really like these! Shame I can only wear studs.”

“I was thinking of getting another in my right ear, what do you think, Fuu?” Ferio asked thoughtfully.

“I think if you come home with another piercing, Emeraude might actually kick you out.” Fuu said, “Remember the last time?”

“Oh, yeah. You do know she’s just pretending to be angry, right?”

“I know. But she also ‘pretends’ to ground you, and I happen to like seeing you around, believe it or not.” Fuu smiled softly, “As she says, you can get as many as you want after you graduate.”

“Fine, fine.” He sighed.

“We will just have to make do with another pair of hoops, I suppose.” Ascot couldn’t help but grin, listening to the two of them. There they were, being the happy couple, doing things like holding hands and picking out matching jewelry to wear together without even the slightest bit of embarrassment about it. It really made him feel bad he ever thought Ferio was only going out with Fuu so he could get her to do his homework. Sometime he’d have to ask how they actually got together in the first place.

He checked out the earrings himself thoughtfully. Umi, Fuu, and Ferio all had pierced ears. So did Caldina and Lafarga. In fact, after Hikaru got hers done, he’d be the only one without.

Then Ascot thought about his family. His mom, Miata, and Jetta were the only ones that wore earrings. Sonata would probably have her ears done when she turned twelve, whether she cared to or not (he didn’t think she would). His dad and Tuscan, though, wouldn’t even dream of getting their ears pierced, and had nothing but homophobic slurs for guys that would.

Still, though… He saw Hikaru holding some really cute teddy bear earrings. Fuu and Ferio purchasing their chosen pair of hoops. Umi looking downright proud for finding an exquisite set of dragon earrings that were somehow different from all the other dragon earrings she owned. He felt his own earlobes for a moment. What kind would he wear?

Just simple and shiny, maybe. Not so much the dangly kind that could be a huge hazard around animals and younger siblings (well, maybe just for special occasions), but some giant studs could be fun. Or what about those double sided snake earrings he’d seen that one time-

“You ever think about getting your ears pierced, Ascot?” Umi asked cheerfully from behind him. He nearly jumped. When’d she get so close, anyway?

“Uh, maybe someday.” He answered, calming himself.

“What’s stopping you?”

“Um…” Ascot hesitated. His family- Well, he barely even saw his parents nowadays since he’d been almost constantly petsitting, staying at Caldina’s, or hanging out with these four. He wasn’t even sure they noticed him gone. Would they even notice the tiny studs? He only had to keep them in constantly for a month. His hoodie and hats might be enough to keep them from noticing for that long when he was there, and then he could just put on earrings at school or at Caldina's… Maybe he could do this?

No, wait. There was still the money issue. He was only scraping by on his petsitting money and the kindness of friends as is, and no way was he going to ask for more for a luxury like this. But no way could he explain something like that to her-

Umi suddenly turned away and sought out one of the workers. After a moment of animated discussion Ascot was too far away to hear, she returned with a triumphant look on her face.

“Hey, guess what? Looks like they’re having a 2-for-1 special this week only.”

“Really? That’s- Awfully convenient.” Ascot said suspiciously.

“I know, right?” She laughed, “If you wanted to get yours done, there’s no time like the present.”

“You’re gonna get your ears pierced too?” Hikaru exclaimed excitedly, “That’s great! We can be piercing buddies!”

“Actually-” He began, about to back out regardless, but then stopped himself. This- He really could do this, right? He could get his ears pierced right now. One look at Umi sealed the deal. She was smiling that magic smile of hers, the one that reminded him that even though he was normally a coward who ran and hid from his problems, she lent him the courage to do things he’d never dare by himself. Of course he could do this.

“Actually, yeah, I am.” Ascot said finally, “Piercing buddies, totally.”


	3. Dog Pictures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tiny freshman Ascot and slightly less tiny sophomore Hikaru written for Day 7 of Hikaru Week: Friendship. Because I couldn't make it through the knight character weeks without bringing Ascot into it.

During the period between classes, Ascot found an antsy Hikaru waiting by his locker. Strange. How did she even know where his locker was? He shrugged it off, and went to retrieve his stuff like normal.

“Hey, Ascot-” Hikaru began awkwardly.

“Hey, Hikaru. Something wrong?”

“No! I mean, sort of. It’s just-” She seemed really nervous, “I know how much you love Vigor and all-” Oh. That’s what this was about. Ascot sighed, closing the locker.

“He got adopted, didn’t he?” He said, resigned. Hikaru nodded, seemingly relieved she didn’t have to say it herself.

“Over the weekend. I wanted to call you, but, well, I don’t know your cell number.”

“Don’t have one.” He muttered, looking down, “Was it a good family, at least?”

“Think so. Active family, kids, large yard, were really excited to get him.”

“That’s- That’s good.” He smiled sadly, “Kinda surprised he wasn’t adopted sooner. Leonbergers are pretty rare.”

“Well, yeah, all the others were picked up like that. Vigor was just-”

“Ugly. Ugly and scary and not up to breed standards and didn’t take commands well. At least, that’s what that breeder always said.” Ascot practically spat, “He was wrong. Vigor listened to me.”

“He did.” Hikaru agreed, “I’m surprised you didn’t adopt him yourself.”

“I wish.” He shook his head, “But for that, we’d have to get rid of a few kids and keep my parents from popping out any more. If it were up to me, Tuscan and the triplets would be long gone.”

“Ascot!” She scolded.

“What? I’d take Vigor over them any day.”

“They’re your family!” Right. Family. Hikaru had people in her household that deserved the term. People that wanted to see her do well for her own sake, that actually cared about her happiness. Must be nice.

“If you say so.”

“You know, if you wanted-” She tried, “The shelter’s always looking for volunteers. It’d be good experience to put on a job or college application.”

“I’ll think about it.” He already had, multiple times, and every time, it ended with the same excuses. He wouldn’t be able to get a ride, he couldn’t afford it, he wouldn’t be able to keep his grades up.

“You wanna see Vigor with the new family? I got pictures!” She whipped out her phone, and Ascot couldn’t be more grateful from the change of subject.

“Do I ever.” They walked to study hall together, Hikaru swiping through the photos, describing each one in more detail than necessary, apologizing for getting too excited, calming herself for a second or two, then returning to her usual state of exuberance soon enough. As much as Ascot enjoyed all the Vigor pictures (along with the Hikari shots that somehow snuck in there), he breathed a sigh of relief when study hall began.

Still, he never would’ve imagined he’d be talking to her like this after that fiasco that was the beginning of the school year. Were they- dare he say it- friends now? The more he considered it, the less weird it seemed. Hikaru might as well have been born with the superpower to become friends with just about anybody, after all.


	4. Never Underestimate Fuu Hououji

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Say hello to another installation of my High School!AU and the story of how Fuu and Ferio got started. Fuu doesn’t play around when it comes to big projects and Ferio is just a dork. What? You mean I wrote something WITHOUT ASCOT? Say it ain't so! (This was for Day 6 of Fuu Week: Love)

She’d worked far too hard on that science fair project to take his careless destruction of it lightly.

“It was an accident!” He’d said, as though it were a minor concern, as though her work amounted to another lackluster last-minute presentation thrown together by students who couldn’t be convinced to give a damn about anything more than a passing grade (like him, probably), rather than the result of months of careful planning, study, hard work, and determination on her part. There was no time to recreate her set-up, no time to recover. She watched with a pasted smile and cold eyes as the judges hand out the first place ribbon to someone else, watched them get the accolades and opportunity to advance, and knew she could not just let this go.

So for the past week, she’d been observing the subject responsible for her loss, taking note of his classes, his habits, his routines and quirks. His name was Ferio, and he didn’t know it, but he was about to pay.

The next two weeks after, well- She got down to business. When Ferio opened his lunchbox, he found salamanders. When he opened his textbooks, he was greeted obnoxiously by Hoops&Yoyo. He drank what he thought was orange juice, only to spit out the mac and cheese powder water. Problem was, the pranks didn’t seem to bother him all that much. In fact, after the initial surprise, he would laugh just as hard as anyone else. So she kept it up, until one day, she decided to dial it up a notch. Ferio had a routine of presetting his locker combination. It was time somebody cured that.

One day after school, she roped Hikaru into standing guard and Umi into helping her clear out his locker to make some minor modifications. Honestly, with the mess she found in there, he could probably consider that much a favor.

But the next morning, it was all worth it. First, there was his face upon realizing the books and gym clothes hanging from the ceiling tiles were his. Then upon realizing that was his locker with the My Little Pony wrapping paper. Then the exasperated expression he got when trying to take the wrapping paper off, only to realize somebody had drawn a ton of cartoon dicks all over the door (Umi’s handiwork).

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Ferio groaned, grabbing a chair to retrieve his articles from the ceiling and a wet paper towel to clean off the dicks. Finally, once that was done, he sighed in relief, perhaps imagining that the worst was over, and dialed the combination. Fuu cover her mouth with one hand to suppress the laughter, and held her phone ready to record with the other.

Needless to say, the guy did not expect the hundred or so ball pit balls to barrage him as soon as he opened the door. He fell back with a hilarious yelp, and Fuu couldn’t contain herself any longer. She laughed, then quickly covered her mouth, but it was too late. He saw her there, recording.

“You!” Ferio accused, his eyes wide.

“You should be more careful in the future.” She said with a smile, calmly putting her phone away and strolling onward to her next class, leaving him to pick up all the balls himself.

For the next few days, Fuu kept catching him staring at her. Probably trying to figure out a way to get her back, she figured. That is, until the time she opened her textbook in class and Carly Rae Jepsen started singing.

“Hey, I just met you-” Played out before she could slam the book shut. A piece of notebook paper fell to the ground, and she snatched it up quickly.

‘You’re cute. Call me maybe?’ It read, followed by a phone number and signed 'Ferio’ with a little heart dot over the i.

Umi didn’t stop teasing Fuu about her face for the rest of the day.


	5. Friends Don't Let Friends Miss Cake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Caldina is incredibly thoughtful and completely shameless and most of all, not gonna stand for Ascot wallowing in self-pity all evening. It's also December and they've got a party to get to.

Ascot hadn’t expected her to make a big deal about Christmas. As it turned out, Caldina was all about any and every holiday in December, but, being Caldina, she celebrated it in her own special way: as cheaply as possible.

The tree with built-in lights was a lucky Craig’s List find, decorations had been amassed from thrift stores, yard sales, and people just looking to get rid of stuff in general, and regifting was the norm, not the exception. In fact, Ascot was pretty sure the only thing she’d bought new this season were the strands of icicle lights, and that was just a blatant excuse to invite the hot bouncer dude over to help her put them up (“Worth every penny.” She’d winked when asked how that’d gone, making Ascot decide he really didn’t want to hear any more details).

And then there were the greeting cards.

“How do you even know this many people?” Ascot asked, methodically adding stamps and address labels to a stack of envelopes for her. They’d been at this for over an hour but weren’t even past the H’s on the Rolodex (apparently some people still used those and Caldina was one of them).

“Told you, I’ve been all sorts of places.” She said, signing another card before handing it over to him, “Like to make friends everywhere, keep in touch with the good ones. You know, the ones that cook or keep a guest room ready or have a gambling problem.”

“Right, right.” Ascot’d long since stopped taking her too seriously when she implied people were just resources to be used. Even as Caldina joked about just keeping up with certain people for the concert tickets or discounted car repairs, she still kept track of their names, addresses, life circumstances, even what particular holidays they celebrated, she added short personal notes to each card, and she frequently interrupted her own writing to share a good story about someone or another. She cared, whether she cared to admit it or not. Between the task at hand, Caldina’s interludes, and the very welcome fluffy affections of little Spyder, he barely gave a thought to any of his other issues.

“So what’s today’s deal, pancake?” She asked suddenly, knocking Ascot out of his revelry.

“Huh?”

“Something’s eating you again, you know I can always tell. Feel like sharing with your Auntie Caldina?” She put down her pen and rested her chin on her hand. He sighed. So much for not letting it bother him.

“Just thinking about Fuu’s party, that’s all.” He said, trying to play it off.

“Oh yeah, that’s today, isn’t it? They invited you, right? You mentioned it before.” Caldina raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t want to go.”

“Why not? If you need a ride-”

“Come on, I know Fuu and Ferio hate me. They only invited me so Umi wouldn’t get upset.” He grumbled, looking away, “Since they don’t want me there, I’m not going.” Caldina listened thoughtfully, her expression unreadable. Finally, she stood up from her chair.

“We’re crashing it.”

“What? No!” Ascot said in alarm, “What about your cards?”

“Aw, snapdragon, the cards can wait for tomorrow. Or even Monday, if this shindig has drinks.”

“But you don’t even know them!”

“Well, it’s about time that changed. Don’t suppose that Umi friend of yours baked a cake, do you?” Ascot started to protest again, but then paused mid-thought.

“She probably did.” He said slowly. Caldina looked incredibly proud of herself.

“Be a downright shame if any of it went to waste, don’t you think?”

“It wouldn’t. Go to waste, I mean. But-” He reasoned, “We better make sure.” She laughed in response.

“Now that’s more like it! You need a present?”

“Um, yeah, I think so?” He thought he’d heard something or another about a gift exchange.

“To the box!” Caldina grabbed his arm and dragged him over to a box in the corner overflowing with a random assortment of items, some still in the full packaging with the gift labels clearly marked ‘To: Caldina.’ Ascot picked up a few things out of curiosity while she went through the box aggressively, presumably searching for some things in particular.

“Hula Minion?” He mock-suggested.

“Hell no, that’ll go to someone I hate. Ah, here!” She tossed something soft at him, “You can keep that.”

“Huh?” Ascot caught it and held it up. It was a large black sweater depicting several different breeds of dogs, all wearing either santa hats or wintry accessories. In other words, the Best Sweater Ever.

“Since we’re gonna be late, better be fashionably late.” Caldina winked, then shoved two more items in his hands, “Wrap these up while I go change, will you?” She scampered off, leaving Ascot gazing introspectively at the bundle in his arms.

‘Maybe they don’t actually like me-’ He thought, smiling sadly, 'But I’m pretty sure they’ll like her.’


	6. Hickeys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometime during Ascot's Junior year. Umi is kinda territorial and Ascot is kinda bad at picking up signals.

“Hey, Ascot. Covering up the hickeys again?” Umi asked good-naturedly, coming up from behind. Ascot tensed.

‘Oh fuck. Act natural.’ “W-why would you think that?” He looked over his shoulder nervously, only to find the atmosphere suddenly changed. Her expression was serious, and her eyes held a dangerous gleam. Oh, right. She’d made that joke just about any time he showed up to school in a turtleneck or scarf this year. He’d just acted the complete opposite of natural, and now she knew. Fuck.

“Really? Didn’t think you had any dates this past weekend.” She smiled, but Ascot could hear the obvious ice in her tone.

“Look, Umi, I get it!” Ascot began apologetically, talking faster and slightly higher pitched than usual, “We were all kinda drunk that night, you especially, and what’s a bit of making out between drunk friends, right? It happens!” He laughed nervously. Umi blinked.

“Wait, you were with us at Eagle’s Saturday night, weren’t you? Dammit, must’ve blacked out again.” She put a finger on her chin thoughtfully.

“Kinda figured.”

“But then-” Her eyes widened, “Shit, did I give you those?”

“Um…” He looked away sheepishly, “Yeah, you did.” The silence that followed was just long enough to get Ascot inwardly panicking over worst case scenarios. Everything would be awkward now, Umi wouldn’t want to be friends with him anymore, why hadn’t he just pushed her off?! Sure, it was great at the time, but it wasn’t worth losing her as a friend, dammit! Finally, after what seemed like forever, Umi spoke up again.

“Well, why didn’t you say so sooner?” She laughed, the tension dissipating entirely, “Don’t scare me like that!” She enthusiastically slapped him on the shoulder, leaving her hand there.

“Huh?” Ascot could not be more confused if he tried, “You’re… not upset?”

“Of course not, silly!” She said, smiling genuinely this time, “Can I see?”

“Well, um, sure, I guess.” He obediently pulled down on his scarf, revealing several splotches marring his neck. Umi’s eyes lit up, her hand reaching for the bruises automatically.

“Oh, wow.” She brushed over them with her fingers tenderly, her smile growing wider, “I marked you up pretty good, didn’t I?” If Ascot didn’t know any better, he’d think she sounded proud.

“Y-you were pretty persistent about it.” Ascot stuttered, his face heating up, “I mean, if it happens again, I can stop you, it was just kinda unexpected-”

“Don’t worry about it.” Umi waved him off, “Like you said, what’s a bit of drunk making out between friends?”

“Right!” Ascot’s own tense shoulders relaxed in obvious relief. They were still friends, so everything was good. He let go of the scarf.

“You should take that off.” Umi suggested.

“What?”

“The scarf. A good set of hickeys should be shared with the world. Make some of your admirers jealous.” She winked. Ascot laughed.

“Yeah, right, like anybody’s getting jealous over me.”

“You’d be surprised.”


End file.
